Transmission lock for automobiles



Apr. 3, 1923.

2 shgets-sheet II A. B. LANG TRANSMISSION LOCK F. OR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 20, 1921 |||||||||||ln|lt|l 56 w /w M r a w M I w I [III 1,

Apr. 3, 1923.

A. B. LANG TRANSMISSION LOOK FOR AUTOMOBILES Fil'ed' July 20; 1921 II V 2 sheets-sheet .2

fiiber'i 13-41mm Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNITE STATES PATE'E' OFFICE.

ALBERT B. LANG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRANSMISSION LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed July 20, 1921. Serial No. 486,132.

This invention relates to an automobile locking mechanism. The general object of the invention is to provide simple means for looking a car or automobile, but which will operate in such a way as to permit the machine to be pushed about at the curb; This may be necessary to comply with fire ordinances in some cities. One of the objects, also, has been to construct the locking mechanism in such a way that the transmission mechanism of the car may be locked so that the car cannot be driven on its own power.

Another object is to provide means whereby any attempt to operate the reversing mechanism of the car, will operate to lock the same against further movement.

A further object of the inventionhas beento provide a locking mechanism which is completely carried by a cover plate so that in the practical application of the device to a car, the regular cover plate of the transmission casing may be removed and my cover plate carrying the locking mechanism substituted for it.

A further object of the invention is to render the parts inaccessible to an unauthorized person, but readily accessible to the owner. To this end, one of the features of the invention concerns the construction of the cover plate and a lid which is carried by the cover plate.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

WVhile features of the invention are applicable to automobiles of different types, in the present specification I have described the invention as applied to a car of the type which has a planetary transmission and in which three drums co-operate with their-corresponding bands.

The invention consists in the novel features, and in the general combination of parts to be particularly described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce 'a simple and efficient automobile transmission look A preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described in the following specification, while the broad scope of my invention will be pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawing- Figure l'is a plan ofthe transmission casing showing my locking mechanism applied thereto and with the lid of my cover plate in its open position; I

Figure 2 is alongitudinal section taken about on the line 2-'-2"of Figure 1. This view shows the locking mechanism in its set' or operative position. I

Figure 2? is a section similar to Figure 2 but showing my locking free or released position;'

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 and particularly illustrating the stop or block which looks the transmission band against functioning;

Figure 4; 1s a cross-section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1 and illustrating the mechanism in its a locking mechanism which corresponds to the reversing band of the transmission;

Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Figure l and illustrating the locking mechanism which corresponds to the brake band. i

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the transmission casing which is formed on its upper side with'an opening having a seat 2 (see Figure 2) and on this seat it is customary to provide a cover which may be removed at will to give access to the interior of the casing. According to myinvention I remove the usual cover and provide a special cover plate 3 which may beattached tothe seat by a plurality of machine'- screws such as the screws 4L (see Figure3).

Just below the cover plate the transmission mechanism of the car lies, which in the present instance includes a transmission drum 5, a brake drum 6 and a reversing drum 7. Referring especially to Figure 3, the reversing drum 5 carries a' corresponding reversing band 8 one end of which is provided with a lug 9 which is held relatively fixed against the end of a bushing 10 which is adjustably' mounted by means of threads 11 in the side wall of the casing. Thisbushing extends through the casing and is provided with a lock; nut12 for fixing the bushing in any adjustable position. This bushing operates as a sliding brake for a spindle 13, one end of which is providediwitha pedal 14 (see Figure 2). By depressing thepedal ll, that,

is to say, by moving it inthe direction of the arrow in Figure 2, the spindle 13 will be shifted toward the right, as viewed in Figure 3, by a cam (not illustrated). This shifting movement of the spindle, through the agency of a fixed collar 15 on the spindle, tightens the transmission band on the drum because the collar shoves against the lug 16 on the movable end of the band.

According to my invention I provide means for blocking the movement of some part of the mechanism of the car which it is necessary to move in order to operate the car. In the present instance I provide means for blocking the band 8 to prevent it from being tightened. In order to accomplish this, a cover plate is constructed w th a depressed and offset bottom wall 17 WhlCh is provided with an opening 18 operating as a guide for a stop or block 19. In Figure 2 thisblock 19 is illustrated in elevated position in which it does not hinder in any way the operaton of the car. I provide means for depressing this block or depressible member 19 which I call a setting member, and this setting member is simply a depressible stem 20 which may be guided and which is supported in some way on the cover plate and preferably simply guided through a lid 21 which may be carried on the cover plate. A spring 22 returns the stem after it has been depressed. I provide automatic means operating in such a way that when the block 19 is depressed, it will be automatically held down until the driver of the car releases it. In order to accomplish this, I provide means in the form of a slide 23 which is in the form of an elongated flat bar, one end of which is guided to slide through a guide 2a which is illustrated at the left side of Figure 3. The upper face of this flat bar is also guided by the lower face of the casing 25 of a handor key-coir trolled lock 26. In the elevated position of the block shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the upper face of the block lies against one edge of the slide 23 and lies well above the bottom face of a lug 27 which projects down from the lower side of this slide. Now when the block 19 is depressed the spring 28 which is attached to the slide, moves it toward the left, as viewed in Fig ure 3, in such a way that the lug 2'? slides over the top of the block (see Figure 2). This will lock the block in its depressed position. In this position of the block the lower end of the block projects down through the opening 18 and is directly in the path of the bifurcated lug 16 of the transmission band 8.

The depression of this block also operates to set the lockin mechanism of the other two bands 6 and 4, but it should be understood that this locking mechanism operates in such a way that it does not prevent tighten ng. of these bands 6. and 7. However, it does prevent their functioning in the regular way and if they have been tightened after the locking mechanism is set, they cannot be loosened again. For this purpose the forward and rear faces of the block 19 are provided with plates 29 and 30 which are simply set into notches in the face of the block. These plates have openings receiving guide pins 31 which carry coil springs 32 which normally hold the plates and the block in the elevated position shown in Figure 2.

I shall now describe the locking mechanism of the brake band and refer especially to Figure 4:. In this view 6 illustrates the brake drum and 33 illustrates the brake band. The lug 34: on the left side of this band is relatively fixed and the band is tightened on its drum by a sliding movement of the spindle 35 which carriers a nut 36. In applying my invention, between the nut 36 and the adjacent lug 33 of this band, I provide a small shackle 37 the upper end of which carries a small ratchet or rack 38 (see Figure 1). This ratchet 38 lies in a channel-shaped guide 39 formed on the upper side of the depressed bottom 17 ofthe cover plate. The plate 30, referred to above, carries a small lateral projecting pintle 40 which extends under a pawl 41 pivoted at 42 between the walls of the channel 39. WVith this arrangement, it will be evident that when the pawl 31 descends, its teeth will come into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 38, (see Figure 4) and it is also evident that if the brake band be tightened, the ratchet 38 will slide toward the left. This will bring the end of the pawl into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet disposed further to the right and the pawl will operate to prevent the band from being loosened again; and it can not be loosened until the block 19 is permitted to rise when raising the pawl 41.

Substantially the same combination of parts is provided to lock the reversing band, see Figure 5, in which view 44 represents the brake band, the lug 45 being relatively fixed. On the end of the spindle 16 I provide a shackle 4.7 which is held against a lug 48 of this moving end of the reversing band, and secure the same in place, by replacing the nut 49 on the end of the spindle 46. This shackle 17 carries a ratchet or inclined rack 50 similar to the rack 38 and co-operating in the same manner with the pawl 51 which is normally held elevated through the agency of a pintle 52 which projects from the outer edge of the plate 29. The three bands are all provided with springs 53 be.- tween corresponding lugs, which tend to hold the bands loose on their drums.

I provide means for covering up the ad justing bushing 10 and its lock nut 12. For

- This lock this purpose I provide the cover plate 2 with an integral cup-shaped cap or bonnet 541 (see Figure 3) which simply fits over the projecting end of the bushing and the nut. This will prevent a thief from defeating the operation of the block 19 by loosening up on the spindle 13.

The voperation of the hand-operated lock 26, will be clearly understood from an examination of Figures 1 and 1. The casing of this look is a simple box of rectangular form, and is attached on the under side of the lid 21. This lid, or more properly, lid section 21 is connected by hinged joints with the side of the cover plate 3. may be a combination lock or it may be controlled by a key inserted at the key slot 56. The lock is provided with a sliding bolt 57. When the lid is closed, the right end 58 of this bolt (see Figure 3) is in position to engage a finger 59 which projects laterally from the slide. (See Figure 1.) Hence by rotating the key in a righthand direction, the bolt 57 will be projected toward the right and when it engages the lug or finger 59 it will move the slide to: ward the right thereby extending the spring 28. As soon as the lug 27 has moved out of line with the block 19, the block will be returned to its normal elevated position by the springs 32. In order to enable the slide 23 to be moved over by its spring 28 when the block 19 is depressed, it is however, nec essary to leave the lock with the bolt 57 withdrawn into the casing 25 at its righthand as viewed in Figure 3. In the neutral position ofthe key in the lock, the bolt 57 will not project from either side of the lock casing 25. In this position the lid can be raised. By rotating the key in a left-hand direction, the left hand end of the bolt 57 may be projected from'the lock casing 25 and into a slot 60 formed in the guide 24. This will lock the lid to the cover plate and prevent the lid from being raised.

The movement of the slide 23 toward the left also produces an additional lock for holding the lid down. For this purpose the lid is provided on its under side with a keeper 61 having a slot 62 in line with the end of the slide 23. Now when the block 19 is depressed and the spring 28 pulls the slide 23 toward the left, the left end of the slide runs into this keeper 61 and holds the lid down.

The lid of the cover is completed by a lid section 21". This lid section is of wedge shape to correspond with the shape of the opening through thecasing. In order to facilitate fastening this lid section in position the sides of the cover plate 3 are formed with upwardly projecting flanges 63 and each of these flanges is provided on its inner face with a' groove 64. These grooves 64 receivethe sideedges of the lid section 21*. It should be understood that the lid section 21 slides into position in a downward direction as viewed in Figure 1. This lid section and the hinge lid 21 completely cover all of the screws, suchas the screws 4, which secure the cover plate to its seat, thereby making it impossible to remove the cover plate without opening the lid. lVhen the lid 21 is shut thekeeper 61 projects down into an opening 61 in the cover plate 3 (see Fig. 1).

After the lid section 21' isput in place and the lid section 21 has been folded over and locked, the lid cannot then be removed because the lower end of the lid 21 has an inwardly projecting flange 65 (see Figure 2) which engages the upper end of the lid section 21 and prevents it from being slid upwardly. The wedge shape of the lid section 21, of course, prevents it from being shoved downwardly.

The general mode of operation of the en tire mechanism will now be briefly stated.

The normal position of the parts is the same as that indicated in Figure 3, except that the bolt 57 will be shifted toward the left so that its right end 58 does not touch the lug 59 of the slide 23. If the lid is in its locked position the left end of the bolt 57 will project into slot 60 through the guide 24 which is rigid with, or integral with, the cover plate 3. The driver of the car presses down on the stem 20 and this slides the stop or block 19 downwardly through the guide opening 18 (see Fig. 2) and projects the lower end of the block into the path of the lug 16 on the movable end of'the transmission band 8. As the block 19 moves downwardlyits upper face eventually comes below the lower face of the lug'27. When this occurs the spring 28 pulls the slide 23 over so as to move the lug 27 into position immediately over the block. This is the relation of the parts shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows the block raised which is the position of release for the locking mechanism. If it is' desired merely to lock the transmission band to prevent the car from being driven onits own power, the depression of the setting member or stem 20 will accomplish this automatically. However, theoperatio-n of the block 19 in descending sets the locking mechanism for the reversing band and brake band in the following manner: As the block 19 descends the plates 29 and 30 carriedby it also descend and the pintles 4:0 and 52 which project from these plates, let down the pawls 4:1 and 51;so that the teeth of these pawls will engage their corresponding ratchets 38 and 50. After this has been done it will be evident that the brake band and reversing band are both loose on their corresponding drums, and

hence. the car can be pushed freely about.

However, it cannot be driven on its own power. In case the ordinances do not prohibit set-ting the car wit-h the brake applied, the reversing pedal could be actuated so as to operate its spindle at). The operation of this spindle would tighten the band 44: and move the ratchet orrack 50 toward the left, thereby tightening the band. The pawl 51 would then prevent the band from being loosened again. By depressing the brake lever. or brake pedal and also the reversing pedal, all three of the bands of the transmission ill be locked in place. When it is desired to: release the transmission from the locking mechanism it is simply necessary to insert a key in the key-slot 56 of the lock )6 and then rotate the key in the proper direction to shoot the bolt 57 toward the right as viewed in Figure 8. Bis the bolt 57 moves toward the right its right end 58 engages the lug 59 and returns the slide toward its normal position. As soon as the lug 27 moves out of line with the block 19 the block will be immediately raised or returned to its normal position by the springs disposed around the guide pins 31 for the plates 29 and 30. In releasing the reversing band and the brake band in this way it may be necessary to apply pressure to their pedals to ease up the pawls 41 and 51 to facilitate their disengagement from their racks. In the neutral position of the key the bolt 57 will be disengaged from the slide 23 and the lid can then be swung upwardly.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one ofthe many embodiments my invention may take. and I do not wish to be limited in the practice ot my invention. nor in my claims to the particular embodiment set forth.

lVhat I claim is:

1-. In an automobile locking mechanism, the combination of an actuating part which must be moved in order to operate the car, a movable stop guided to move into the path of the actuating part. a movable lid rendering the actuating part accessible, a setting member movable at will by the driver of the car and operating to move the stop into the path of the actuating part, automatic locking means for locking the lid against being opened. co-operating with the setting member so as to be set in operation by movement of the setting member. and a hand-controlled lock for unlocking the lid thereafter.

2. In an automobile locking mechanism, the combination of a casing, an actuating part within the casing, which must be moved to operate the car, a movable stop guided to move into the path of the actuating part, amovable lid for the casing rendering the actuating part accessible. a depressible member movable at will by the driver of the car and connected; through the casing with said stop for moving the stop into the path of the said actuating part, and thereby preventing operation of the automobile, automatic locking means for locking the lid against being opened, co-operating with the setting member so as to be set in operation by the depression of the depressible member, a hand-controlled lock for actuating the automatic locking means to release the lid, and means co-operating with the hand-controlled lock for locking the lid against opening when the automatic locking means is in a position to permit the lid to be opened.

3. In an automobile having a casing and transmission mechanism within the casing,

the combination of a cover-plate constructed to be attached to the casing, locking mechanism carried thereby to prevent func tioning of the transmission mechanism, a lid, a setting member movable at will or the driver, extending to the exterior of the lid and operating to apply the looking mechanism, and a hand-controlled lock for releasing the locking mechanism.

4. In an automobile having a casing'and transmission mechanism Within the casing, the combination of a cover-plate constructed to be attached to the casing, locking mechanism carried thereby to prevent functioning of the transmission mechanism, a lid, a setting member movable at will of the driver, extending to the exterior of the lid and operating to apply the locking mechanism, a hand-controlled lock for releasing the locking mechanism and having a bolt guided so as to function at both ends, one end of said bolt co-operating with the locking mechanism to move the same and release the transmission mechanism therefrom, and means co-operating with the other end of said bolt for locking the lid against opening.

5. In an automobile having a casing, and transmission mechanism within the casing, the combination of a cover-plate constructed to be attached to the casing. locking mechanism carried by the cover-plate to prevent functioning of the transmission mechanism and including a slide, a lid attached to the cover-plate, a setting member movably mounted in the lid and operating to apply the locking mechanism, automatic means for moving the slide when the setting member is actuated, means carried by the lid and engaged by the slide to lock the lid against opening, and a handcontrolled lock carried by the lid for returning the slide and releasing the transmission mechanism from the locking mechanism.

6. In an automobile having a casing, and transmission mechanism within the casing, the combination of a cover-plate constructed. to be attached to the casing, locking mech anism carried by the cover-plate to prevent functioning of the transmission mechanism andinclud-ing'a slide, alid attached to the cover-plate, a setting member movably mounted in the lid and operating to apply the locking mechanism, a spring connected with the slide for moving the same when the setting member is actuated, means carried by the lid and engaged by the slide to lock the lid against opening after the setting member has been actuated, and a key-controlled lock carried by the lid and having a sliding-bolt co-operating with the slide to return the same and effect the release of the transmission mechanism from the locking mechanism when the bolt is moved in one direction, and means co-operating with the bolt when moved in the other direction to lock the lid against opening.

7. In an automobile having a casing, a transmission band, a brake band and a reversing band, within the casing, the combination of a cover-plate constructed to be attached to the casing, a setting member supported by the cover-plate and movable at will of the driver, means controlled by the setting member for preventing functioning of the said transmission band, brake band and reversing band, said cover-plate having means for preventing access to said locking mechanism by an unauthorized person.

8. In an automobile having a casing, a drum and a band co-operating therewith within the casing, and an operating spindle for tightening the band, with adjusting means exposed at the side of the casing, in combination with a cover plate having means for covering the said exposed adjusting means and constructed to be secured to the casing over the said band, locking means carried by the cover-plate for locking the band against functioning, the cover-plate for concealing the locking mechanism and a hand-operated lock carried by the lid.

9. In an automobile having a casing, a transmission band, reversing band and brake band within the casing, in combination with means for locking the transmission band against functioning, thereby enabling the automobile to be pushed freely about, and automatic means for locking the reversing band or the brake hand against functioning after the same has been operated.

10. In an automobile having a casing, a drum and a band within the casing co-operating with the drum, in combination with a rack associated with the band, a pawl normally disposed'out of engagement with the rack, and means for setting the pawl in a position to co-operate with the rack whereby the band will be locked against return when the same is tightened upon the drum.

11. In anautomobile having a casing, a drum and a band co-operating with the drum within the casing, the combination of a cover-plate, a rack connected with one a lid carried by' the W111 of the driver, a stop end of the band and guided in the coverplate, a depressiblemember mounted in the cover-plate, pawl normally supported thereby out of engagement with the rack, automatic meansv for holding the depressible memberdown whenit has been depressed to enable the pawl to engage the rack and thereby prevent return of the band after the same has been tightened on its drum, and a hand and reversing band, and guided on the cover plate, a pawl corresponding to each rack, means for holding the pawls out of engagement with the racks when the block is in its normal elevated position, the setting of the block to lock the transmission band.

against functioning operating to permit the pawls to engage their corresponding racks, each pawl co-operating with its rack to preventreturn of its corresponding band after the same has been actuated.

13. In an automobile having a casing and transmission mechanism within the casing, the combination of a cover plate constructed to be attached to the casing, and including a lid, a movable setting member guided so as to be moved downwardly by the said setting member and operating to look a part of the transmission mechanism against functioning, a springactuated slide mounted so as to move over the stop after the same has been depressed, to hold the stop in its depressed position, a hand-operated lock for returning the slide, and means for returning the sto to its normal position after the slide has been returned, and-thereby release the transmission mechanism.

14. In an automobile having a casing, a transmission drum and'transmission band, a reversing drum and reversing band, a drum and brake hand all within said casing, in combination with a cover plate having means for fastening the same to said casing, a block guided to slide downwardly through said cover plate into the path of movement of the movable end of the transmission band to lock the transmission band against functioning, a lid carried by the cover plate, a lock for the same, a dep-ressible setting mem ber mounted in the lid for depressing the depressible atbrake having 21, casing, L I

block to set the same in the path of the transthe brake band or reversing band if the same mission band, a spring-actuated slide guided are tightened, and means for returning the down When it has been depressed, locking operating to return the slide.

a mechanism for the brake band and revers- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set ing band controlled by the depression of the my hand.

block and operating to prevent loosening of ALBERT B. LANG.

in the cover plate for holding the block block after the slide is returned, said lock 10 

